Methods and apparatus for providing a resource element identification system to process received uplink transmissions. In an embodiment, a method is provided that includes receiving soft-demapped symbols that comprises resource elements. The method also includes descrambling the resource elements of the symbols one-by-one using descrambling bits generated by at least one linear feedback shift register (LFSR). After each symbol is descrambled, a state of the at least one LFSR is stored as a stored state. The method also comprises restoring the stored state to the at least one LFSR before a next symbol is descrambled so that generation of the descrambling bits continues from symbol to symbol. The method also comprises forwarding the descrambled symbols to a downstream combining function.